Protector for vessels.



E.. F. TURNER. PROTECTOR FOR VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILEU JUNE 20, l9l7.

Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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E. F. TURNER. Paecoa `ma vEsseLs. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20,49'r7.

2 SHEETS- SHEET 2- Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

" rarest renten,

PROTECTOR FOB VESSELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentes sept., s, raie..

Appiicati'on ined June 20, 1917. serial No. 175,960.

To all f wiwm t may concern:

Be 1t known that I, ELBERT FRANKLIN TURNER, a citizen of theUnitedStates, re-

. siding at Tulsa, in .the county of Tulsa and craft, the primary objectof the inventionA l being to provide a net, of which a series may beused on each side of the ship, which may be readily and convenientlylowered for use to protect the side of the ship below the water linekwhen in danger of attack,

and which may be raised and `held normally central swinging ann of thenet supporting! in a suspended condition to avoid resistance to thetravel of the vessel through the water.

A further object of the invention is to provide `a net having meansfor-arresting the motion of a torpedo and holdingv the same until itspropelling force is exhausted,

and for catching Vand holding the torpedo so that it may be captured andrecovered' by the crew of the vessel attacked or by an escort ship, the'construction of the net also being such as to ward ofil or deflect thenose of the torpedo to prevent the same from striking squarely' and withsuliicient force to effect its explosion. f

A still further object of the invention is to provide a net which, levenin the event of the explosion ofthe torpedo, will act as an effectivebarrier to prevent material damage to the vessel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide simple and eectivemeans whereby, when the vessel is in danger of attack, all of the guardnets may be simultaneously lowered to give quick protection.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of thefeatures of construction, combination and' arrangement of partshereinafter fully describedV and claimed, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of abattleship I equipped with my improved protecting nets,

, shown raised in normal position to aA point above the water line.

Fig. 2 isla perspective view of one of the nets in lowered position.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionA through `the frame and showing the bracingdevice associated therewith.

Fig. l is a detail transverse section on the line 1*4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of a p0rtion of the net and itssupporting frame, the net appearing in section, showing the net held inan elevated position.

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the form the portions of the net mayhave for a warding olf or deflecting action.

.In carrying my invention into practice, I dispose upon each side of thebattleship 1 or other vessel to be protected a longitudinal series` ofprotecting nets 2, said nets being individually supported in positionabove the normal water line, but capable of being simultaneously loweredfor action. The nets are adapted to be raised independently forconvenience in lifting them by hand or other power, and. are arranged inlongitudinal alinement vand sufficiently close together to prevent atorpedo from passing through the spaces between them.

Each net comprises farectangular or oblong rectangular open frame 3 ofany suitable material, and comprising an upper hori- Zontal cross bar`4i,depending side bars 5 and a bottom bar G, the space inclosed by thebars of the frame being filled by a netting 7 of wire, chains or othersuitable material.

The net is designed to hang, when operatively arranged, in asubstantially vertical position, and the side bars 5 thereof areprovided with upturnedlower ends 8 form ing, with the lower cross bar 6,a U-shaped channel or trough 9,. The cross bar (i is thus disposed linadvance of the lower portion of the body of the net, and coperates withthe bent ends 8 of the side bars 5 and the connecting portions of thenet fabric 7, to

partially arrested before it comes in contact with the body ofthe ...net7t When the in the event that the course of travel of the torpedo issufciently'below the water. line, fwhereby the motion of the torpedowill be torpedo comes in contact with the netytheV meshes of which are:suiliieientl-ydargeto re+ ceive its nose portion, but not suiiieientlylarge to allow the torpedo to pass,n tlietor` pedo will be hung orcaught therein and hel-dviintilitslpropelling force is expended u Thetendency of the torpedo. .will then. be to drop, and it will accordinglyallinto the ,-recei-ving; channel or .trough 9 in which it will be helduntil removed by .thecrew\ ot the attaeked4 vessel, or. a kcrew from, anescort vessel. By this means the torpedowill'nbei captured and maybereused bythe captors,- and.dangersarising,from its escape and-sub.-`stantial, lflotation prevented.

The net 2 is supported `bya main frame compnising a vertieallydisposedsupporting bar l() mounted ,upon .the side of 4the ;ship, said bar beingvertieally. movable and lprof` vided-at.spaced.intervals with slotsy 11to; receive. -angularlyi bent guiding and, holding lugsflQ uponsupporting, brackets 13 vliXed,.,. to ftheside Lof the ship, theupper.portion i of .ilthe .bar.4 heilig also=movable' through. a guidemembenw14 anrangedl in proximity to f the rippendeelsline.` The innersurfaceot theabariispnovided atits upper endwith ratchet teethll`adaptedfoi-meshing enf gagement Vwith a `pinion .16@ ona raising andlower-ing shaft 17 mounteclwupon. a suitable l support .1S` onthe deckVof the ,vesselysaid shaft 17 being operative thronghtlie medium, of alia1id 1ci'a.nkl9.or other..suitablemeans for the purpose. of.raisingand lowering the l ban 10il through. the `gearing4just."described.- A "dogonpawl 20er a suitable typeis prov vided toengagea .ratchetwheeler lixed to the-shaft, whereby the bar..10 willlbe,normally held locked -,in..adjusted position, `the A dog being howeveradapted to ride over ,the f ratehet teeth to permit the shaft tobeturned andthe-bar to be raised in an obvious mane nen; ltwill thus beunderstood that@ .the frame-.bar l0 is adjustably mounted so that` itmay beraised anddowermlto support .ther net-at. a ,higher4 or flowerlevel with respecte to the water 4line and. ,accordin g tov the .draftotthelship.. Seeuredtothebar l0 is a cross barf22', which extendsbeyond. oppositesides thereof, which erossbaiuhas its end pontions4reinforced[front thenbar 10 by upper and"` lower V-shaped braces Z3andsQL., theends ofthe bar y2:2 being .held 4and .arranged forvertical.movement.in. keepen loops or straps- 25,. secured to: theVsides et .the ship.;

The net 12 is directly,carried by `a swingI ing?,framefconiposed of a.centraliswinging ann-ilfyandra pair, tot side swinging arms 27 v,w-hiehfl are lpivvotally `connected! l at thein outer --ends i with `thecross ibar 4 of `the net frame, andaalefhinged at theirinner. ends,\.as

.indicated at28,to the crosspiece 22;the;.rear

endsffot the-` arms 27 being 1connected byl a, V-shaped '.ibraee member.29 `gwithjpthe puter i end of the arm 26, whereby said arms areeoupled-for movement in unison and are mutuallyireintoreedand:braced.Mounted upon the outer end of the arm 26 or apex of tliebrace.29 is asheave or pulley 30, around which passes one end of the looped portion31o-of a raising and loweringable u 32, the,oppositeend of said loopedportion of the cablepassing around a supporting and guide pulley 33carried by, a davitpr. supporting bracket.Bt disposed upon. the 75 deck`of lthepship, one end of said [cable being,- connectedwith theblocl, onframe of the pulley 30,A indicated at while' the` opposite endBGo--lth'ecablemaybef arranged -to be manuallyoperated byhand entire-useot an. equivalent sov that the cable may be operated in an obvious Vmanner to swing the `frame upnardlyor downwardly; and 'thereby raise and.lowerth'e fender. Itwilhof course, be understood:thatr the cables 32associatedwith all otthe 1iets.;on.;one. or bothsides jot the ship maybe suitably` controlled for siinulf f taneousrelefase, so thatall`of,the nets` on either1 or fbothf' 'sides of j the ship may bedropped for protecting action at .thesame time.

Each net when elevated fwill ,be raised"v l clear [Of the watelcby the4action of the swinging frame ;ar1ns, which` mayalso be. raised and..lowered by raisingwand }llowering, the frame bar-110] Whenelevated to, amaximum T degree thearms26-`and27fand the net 2 willj lie parallel with'the side of the shi'p and the net .and :swinging frjame may thenl V,beheld in anupraised position by l a pivot lockingrlogor latch'lfmountedupon theupper endet the frame barilO,ly vhichdog or latch is othooked4form ,tovengage the bar 4 and, norm ally .maintains its lockingposition. `by l gravity. Connected with thegdog or latchis a t1ip cord38passing over a pulley 39"on the `bar l0 to `a Suitablegpoint at whiehitmay be securedfor confined against displeement.; The ,series of.trip4line s may be arranged. to`

be operated simultaneously toretract all 'the 110 dogs, orlatches,\,thusfallowingathe nets' to dropdown yto a workingjposiftion,or to a position abovethe water line so .that they may ,besubS'eQuentlyylowered Yto working position by paying out ,thecables'Zll For 115 the ilpurpose of reinforcing `the swinging frame to efectually withstand theweightof theme13, and. .brace the parts to withstand the strain of fthe.net traveling through' the water, a bracel() isfprovided'whi'ch is piv.120 oted at one end ,41 to theframebar 1Q and@ has` its opposite endfformedwith .a T-,shaped head. ,4t2 slidably engaging, a groove- -orrecess 4?V inthe undersidelot thearm: 26; .the heedyf traveling in thegroove in theupandg downf 125 swingingallovements of `.the armj andabutting against the outer end wall of the groote when thearm isloweredtobe supportedwn positiongmA slotted cover plate. .44k is Ypro,-`vlded to partially cover the groove 43, and'l() through this slot in theplate the reduced neck of the l'shaped head extends, thus detachablyconnecting the parts together, while in action, and adapted to performits stated purposes with a high degreerof perfection. IVhile theconstruction disclosed is pre erred, it will, of course,'be understoodthat modiiications falling within the scope of the appended claims maybe made, Vwithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim:

l. A torpedo guard for ships comprising a main frame adjlustably mountedupon the side of the ship, means for raising and low-` ering `saidframe,- a vertically swinging frame carried by themain frame, a netpivotally supported by the swinging frame, and means for verticallyadjusting the swinging frame and net independently of the main frame.

2. A torpedo guard for ships comprising a main iframe, a swinging framecarried by the main frame, a torpedo net pivotally supported by theswinging frame, a bracing ele ment pivoted to the main frame andslidably and pivotally connected with the swinging4 frame, and means forraising and lowering the swinging trame and net.

3. A torpedo guard for ships comprising a main i'rame, means Vforraising and lowering the same, a vertically swinging frame carried bythe main frame, a net pivotally supported by the swinging frame, meansfor raising and lowering the swinging frame and net independently of themain frame, and a brace pivotally connected with the main frame andslidably and pivotally connected with the swinging trame.

Il. A torpedo guard for ships comprising a main frame adjustably`mounted upon the side of the ship, said frame having a rack barconnected therewith, a vertically swinging frame hinged to the mainframe, a gear element upon the ship meshing with the rack lbar forraising and lowering the main frame, a torpedo net pivoted to theswinging frame, and means for raising and lowering the swinging frameand torpedo net independently of the main frame.

5. A torpedo guard for ships comprising a frame adjustably mounted uponthe side of the ship, means for raising and lowering said frame forvertical adjustment, a net, means pivotally supporting the net from theadjustable frame for raising and lowering movements,and means forraising and lowering the net.

6. A torpedo guard for ships comprising a vertically movable andadjustable frame, means for raising and lowering the frame, a netpivotally ,mounted upon the frame for raising and lowering movements,means for raising and lowering the net, a latch device for holding thenet elevated, and means for releasing the same.

7. A torpedo guard for ships comprising a main frame bar mounted forvertical adjustment upon the side of the ship, means for raising andlowering said frame bar, a cross bar carried by the main frame bar, aswinging frame hinged to the cross bar, a torpedo net pivoted to theswinging frame, a brace pivoted to the main frame and slidably andpivotally connected with the swinging frame, and means for raising andlowering the swinging frame and torpedo net independently of the mainframe.

8. A torpedo guard for ships comprising a frame adjtustably secured uponthe side of the ship, means for raising and lowering said frame,swinging arms carried by the frame, a net pivotally supported by saidarms, a brace pivotally connected with the frame and slidably andpivotally connected with the swinging arms, means for raising andlowering the swinging arms, a latch device carried by the frame forholding the net in an upraised and folded position, and means forreleasing said latch.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

ELBERT FRANKLIN TURNER.

Copies of this Patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 1).(1.

